Brainstorm Tread

[calsnowskier]

What stupid idea do you have to solve some of the problems in baseball? You have an idea that even you don’t like, but maybe there is something buried in there that could be salvageable?

Post your ideas here for brainstorming, or, as the kids call it today, “workshopping”.

 

[calsnowskier]

Problem: position players are pitching too much in order to save the bullpen arms.

Solution: Implement a mercy rule in MLB games. Something like 8 run lead after 8 innings; 10 run lead after 7 innings; 12 runs after 6 inning; 14 runs after 5 innings. These levels could be adjusted after a study of comeback wins over the last x years.

Pros; stops games when they are over. No burning pitchers arms or placing position players in harms way in games that don’t mean anything.

Cons: loss of advertising dollars for the league (though these would only be in “garbage time” that doesn’t likely get a lot of eyes anyway); statistic accrual; no more epic comeback wins (though this could be minimized through a study of these types of games over the last few years)


I HATE this idea. But I also am coming to hate the bastardization of using an OF or a catcher to pitch the 9th. It used to be funny. It just isn’t that cute anymore.

 

[Cedrique]

Problem: position players are pitching too much in order to save the bullpen arms.

Solution: Implement a mercy rule in MLB games. Something like 8 run lead after 8 innings; 10 run lead after 7 innings; 12 runs after 6 inning; 14 runs after 5 innings. These levels could be adjusted after a study of comeback wins over the last x years.

Pros; stops games when they are over. No burning pitchers arms or placing position players in harms way in games that don’t mean anything.

Cons: loss of advertising dollars for the league (though these would only be in “garbage time” that doesn’t likely get a lot of eyes anyway); statistic accrual; no more epic comeback wins (though this could be minimized through a study of these types of games over the last few years)


I HATE this idea. But I also am coming to hate the bastardization of using an OF or a catcher to pitch the 9th. It used to be funny. It just isn’t that cute anymore.

These managers crack me up. One week they are standing on the top step of the dugout yelling at some rookie on the opposing team for stealing a base with a 7 run lead, the next week they are routinely running their second basemen out to the mound to finish off a lopsided loss.

 

[msgkings322]

This is minor but I've always wondered about relievers and ERA. Right now inherited runners count against the pitcher they replace. But I always felt if a starter leaves with a guy on first and the reliever sucks and he scores, why should the whole run be on that pitcher? My idea would be to charge 0.25 an earned run to the pitcher who put the guy on first, 0.75 to the reliever. For guys on 2nd, 0.50 an ER to each pitcher. And for guys on third, 0.25 to the reliever, 0.75 to the previous pitcher.

Pros: more accurate ERAs for the relievers, which are artificially supressed and instead we have to look at "inherited runners" stats. Also less damage to starters who get relieved and then the reliever fucks them up.

Cons: kind of complicated, right now you can do ERA in your head.

 

[navamind]

Opposite Day. For one game a year, teams have to use a starting lineup of pitchers and use position players as pitchers.

 

[navamind]

make steroids and amphetamines mandatory. if players test negative, they get suspended for 81 games. 2nd offense is a season long ban. 3rd offense is a lifetime ban.

 

[navamind]

when managers argue with umpires, they are permitted to have a 2 minute cage match to settle things

 

[calsnowskier]

Opposite Day. For one game a year, teams have to use a starting lineup of pitchers and use position players as pitchers.

Yeah…

Not sure there is anything good to salvage out of that idea…

 

[calsnowskier]

when managers argue with umpires, they are permitted to have a 2 minute cage match to settle things

Kapler would just use that time in the cage to hug the umpire.

Talk about awkward…

 

[All-Star Benchwarmer]

Problem: position players are pitching too much in order to save the bullpen arms.

Solution: Implement a mercy rule in MLB games. Something like 8 run lead after 8 innings; 10 run lead after 7 innings; 12 runs after 6 inning; 14 runs after 5 innings. These levels could be adjusted after a study of comeback wins over the last x years.

Pros; stops games when they are over. No burning pitchers arms or placing position players in harms way in games that don’t mean anything.

Cons: loss of advertising dollars for the league (though these would only be in “garbage time” that doesn’t likely get a lot of eyes anyway); statistic accrual; no more epic comeback wins (though this could be minimized through a study of these types of games over the last few years)


I HATE this idea. But I also am coming to hate the bastardization of using an OF or a catcher to pitch the 9th. It used to be funny. It just isn’t that cute anymore.

If the pitchers were better at their job, this wouldn't be an issue. The art of pitching is giving way to throw as hard as you can. When was the last time you saw a pitcher locate a ball so the batter hit it on the ground? Also, the pitchers weren't being rotated every batter. It was starter, long relief, closer.

 

[msgkings322]

make steroids and amphetamines mandatory. if players test negative, they get suspended for 81 games. 2nd offense is a season long ban. 3rd offense is a lifetime ban.

My buddy said the way to handle PEDs is have another league where everything is legal. You can inject cocaine into your eyeballs before every swing if you want. You can make yourself a cyborg with mechanical strength enhancements. Sky's the limit!

 

[Cedrique]

If the pitchers were better at their job, this wouldn't be an issue. The art of pitching is giving way to throw as hard as you can. When was the last time you saw a pitcher locate a ball so the batter hit it on the ground? Also, the pitchers weren't being rotated every batter. It was starter, long relief, closer.

They did make a rule so you can't rotate pitchers every batter but you're right about the art of being a starter being almost a thing of the past. That's why these no-hitters that involve 4 pitchers are not that exciting to me.

 

[Cedrique]

Kapler would just use that time in the cage to hug the umpire.

Talk about awkward…

I figured Gabe would spend most of the 2 minutes lecturing the ump on the dangers of processed food.

 

[Batman]

We need a little more offense.
Move the pitchers mound back a foot or maybe lower it a bit.

The ball should be orange with black laces.

 

[calsnowskier]

I figured Gabe would spend most of the 2 minutes lecturing the ump on the dangers of processed food.

That’s what he would be whispering into the umps ear as they hugged.

 

[calsnowskier]

We need a little more offense.
Move the pitchers mound back a foot or maybe lower it a bit.

The ball should be orange with black laces.

Your teams should be Reds - Tigers - Buckeyes.

Please fix it asap. It is driving me crazy.

 

[All-Star Benchwarmer]

We need a little more offense.

Too bad everyone is swinging for the fences today. Just like pitching, the skill of hitting is disappearing. I've been to several minor and major league games this season where the over shift was on (3 players between 1st and 2nd, one between second and third.) In all scenarios, not one batter dropped a bunt down the third base line, or drove opposite field (if appropriate.) They all tried to hit a dinger.

The ball should be orange with black laces.

I don't like this idea.

 

[Batman]

I don't like this idea.

It was mostly in jest.

Would you consider any change in ball color so the fans could see it better.

 

[Batman]

Your teams should be Reds - Tigers - Buckeyes.

Please fix it asap. It is driving me crazy.

Done.

 

[calsnowskier]

Done.

Phew…

Much better.

Spoiler

though, seriously, now no one will get the purpose of your teams…